A Chief of Staff
for every executive
for every executive
We'll help you find the strategic partner to help unlock your full leadership potential
Loved by CEOs and Executives at
Loved by CEOs and Executives at
Why executives turn to Ask a Chief of Staff
Concrete knowledge of the role
Having been a Chief of Staff myself (at a Series A - B company) and talked to hundreds of executives and Chiefs of Staff, I know what makes an effective Chief of Staff and can find you the right fit.
A network that delivers results
Ask a Chief of Staff has a thriving community that enables quick sourcing of top quality candidates for you.
Support the interview process
From screening to hiring, I'll run tailored searches for the criteria you're looking for and also support your interview process along the way, from first screens to take homes to final offers.
Clara Ma
CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff
Clara Ma
CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff
Why executives turn to Ask a Chief of Staff
Concrete knowledge of the role
Having been a Chief of Staff myself (at a Series A - B company) and talked to hundreds of executives and Chiefs of Staff, I know what makes an effective Chief of Staff and can find you the right fit.
A network that delivers results
Ask a Chief of Staff has a thriving community that enables quick sourcing of top quality candidates for you.
Support the interview process
From screening to hiring, I'll run tailored searches for the criteria you're looking for and also support your interview process along the way, from first screens to take homes to final offers.
Clara Ma
CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff
Clara Ma
CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff
Why executives turn to Ask a Chief of Staff
Concrete knowledge of the role
Having been a Chief of Staff myself (at a Series A - B company) and talked to hundreds of executives and Chiefs of Staff, I know what makes an effective Chief of Staff and can find you the right fit.
A network that delivers results
Ask a Chief of Staff has a thriving community that enables quick sourcing of top quality candidates for you.
Support the interview process
From screening to hiring, I'll run tailored searches for the criteria you're looking for and also support your interview process along the way, from first screens to take homes to final offers.
Clara Ma
CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff
Clara Ma
CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff
Clara Ma
CEO and Founder of Ask a Chief of Staff
Jumpstart your job search
Here’s
how it works
how it works
Guaranteed results
You only pay if we find the right fit. And I stand behind my placements with a 60 day guarantee!
Hire with confidence
I'll support negotiations and provide insights and support so you can hire your new Chief of Staff with confidence.
Find your ideal fit
I'll suggest target profiles and review qualified prospects to find the best fit for your role and culture. I’ll handle the heavy lifting.
Build a partnership
Through an intro call, we’ll discuss your Chief of Staff needs in order to fully understand what skills, backgrounds, and attributes you're looking for in this pivotal role.
Jumpstart your job search
Here’s
how it works
Guaranteed results
You only pay if we find the right fit. And I stand behind my placements with a 60 day guarantee!
Hire with confidence
I'll support negotiations and provide insights and support so you can hire your new Chief of Staff with confidence.
Find your ideal fit
I'll suggest target profiles and review qualified prospects to find the best fit for your role and culture. I’ll handle the heavy lifting.
Build a partnership
Through an intro call, we’ll discuss your Chief of Staff needs in order to fully understand what skills, backgrounds, and attributes you're looking for in this pivotal role.
We are in good company
Testimonials &
Shoutouts
Shoutouts
Shoutouts
Patricia Mota
President & CEO of Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE)
Partnering with Ask A Chief of Staff and Executive Recruiter Katie Bell was an exceptional experience. The process was seamless and highly adaptable to our needs and timeline — from start to finish, it was completed in less than two months. With over 1,000 applicants for our Chief of Staff role, we needed a trusted partner to lead a comprehensive, equitable search that upheld the integrity of both HACE and our amazing candidates. Katie and her team delivered with excellence every step of the way.
Caroline Trautmann
Chief of Staff at Botrista
We are incredibly grateful for Clara's exceptional support in placing our Director of People position at Botrista. Clara took the time to truly understand our business needs and the exact type of candidate we were looking for. She was able to quickly surface amazing candidates that not only met our requirements but ended up being our very top choices.
We are so thankful for Clara's expertise and dedication throughout the process. We wouldn't have been able to fill this critical position so quickly and successfully without her. We really look forward to working with Clara again on future hiring needs.
Arjun Mahadevan
CEO of doola
Clara was a huge help for doola in finding our Chief of Staff. From advising on the job description to the take home exercise and chatting to final stage candidates to get them over the offer line, she was able to provide a level of insight into the Chief of Staff recruiting process that we wouldn't otherwise have. Would highly recommend working with her to fill any open Chief of Staff positions your org might have.
Christopher J Toleno
Strategy Associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Clara is extremely knowledgeable, compassionate, and personable. She supported me during my search and was one of the best recruiters I’ve ever worked with. She spent time to learn about my background, interests, and experiences to identify opportunities that aligned with my career progression. Clara utilized a very thoughtful approach…
I highly recommend COS seekers to utilize Clara’s services and expertise for placement/hiring needs.
Samantha Vrcic
Chief of Staff
Clara is a brilliant, kind, and compassionate person. Her ability to successfully match CoS with companies is impeccable. I highly recommend working with Clara if you are looking at the next steps. I believe Clara's talent is being able to guide/work with all levels of CoS. Whether you are currently in another position looking to make the switch, mid-level, or senior, she will be able to guide and support you in the right direction!
Lee Markison
Chief of Staff at Hyphen
Clara is an incredible community builder. When I approached her on LinkedIn to learn more about the On Deck Chief of Staff fellowship she was a wealth of knowledge on everything a Chief of Staff can accomplish. Her passion for all that a CoS can do made me want to learn more about the career path and she not only welcomed me to her network but also conducted outreach on my behalf. When she learned about my interest in sustainable healthy food and robotics she immediately connected me with Stephen Klein - CEO of Hyphen and former On Deck Fellow. Thanks to Clara I have a truly rewarding role as a Chief of Staff for a company I believe in. I am glad to now be a part of Clara’s community to help others in any way I can.
Matt Tait
CEO of Decimal
Clara was a huge help in finding a Chief of Staff. She was extremely knowledgeable and well connected. I couldn't have done it without her help.
Elizabeth Cribb
Operations Manager at Ecosystems
From the first consultation to the final placement, their team was professional, attentive, and deeply knowledgeable about the CoS position regardless of industry. They took the time to understand our company's unique culture and specific requirements, which led to finding the perfect candidates for our open position.
The recruitment process was seamless; they provided a curated list of candidates who not only had the right skills but also fit well with our team. Communication was excellent throughout, and they were always available to address any questions or concerns.
Thanks to Ask A Chief of Staff (specifically Clara and Kelly!), our hiring timeline was significantly reduced, and we’ve found a wonderful new team member.
Nicki Disz
Chief of Staff at Edgio
Clara has both skill and passion for connecting executives with Chief of Staff talent and I highly recommend her services to either side. She is a relationship builder, thought leader, and overall joy to work with - I'm excited to continue following her success!
Pamela Lee
Former Chief of Staff at Bank Street College of Education
Clara helped connect me with a wonderful candidate as I was supporting my previous organization in finding their next Chief of Staff. This has been an endeavor that's really special to me since I previously held that role and care deeply about setting up my previous team for success. The team is so excited about our new hire! thank you, Clara :)
Lissy Alden
Founder and CEO of MYNDY
Clara is an absolute pleasure to work with! She helped me through the process of hiring a Chief of Staff with expertise and wisdom. It is tremendous having someone like this on your side during such a crazy and important time. Her specialized and enthusiastic support for such a complex and important role is essential! Highly recommend working with Clara to those looking for a Chief of Staff!
Abhi Panigrahi
Chief of Staff at Tellius
Clara helped me find a Chief of Staff role at a super exciting company. She is extremely thoughtful, dedicated, and efficient - easily one of the best recruiters I've had the chance to interact with! She gave great advice throughout the process and in particular during the offer negotiation phase. Can't recommend her enough!
Greg Bybee
Founder and CEO of Avela
10/10 Would Recommend working with her if you are looking to recruit or train a new Chief of Staff, Executive Assistant, or other Business Operations professional. Clara was very helpful in our recent search for a Chief of Staff, and incredibly generous to open up her network to us. She has extraordinary subject-matter expertise and probably the strongest CoS network of anyone I know. She also runs a number of programs to train Chiefs of Staff, which would be a great offering when you do hire someone to help them get up to speed and remain current on best practices.
Samantha Perkins
Business Operations Lead at Warmly
Clara helped me find a wonderful BizOps role at a company I’m super excited about! She really listened to me when I described what I was looking for in my next role, both personally and professionally, and she introduced me to several companies and founders, checking in with me throughout my interview process. I am so grateful for her help in this recent job search! The job market felt scary for Ops/People Ops professionals, and her help was invaluable. Highly highly recommend!
Kevin Bassney
Vice President at The Asia Group
Clara was incredibly helpful throughout the job search process, sending me qualified opportunities. I can't recommend her enough for anyone interested in Chief of Staff opportunities.
Kelly Davis-Stoudt
CFO at Ecosystems
Ask a Chief of Staff is hands down your go-to resource for finding the perfect Chief of Staff fit. They sourced us high quality candidates (several) with speed and we found the perfect fit for our organization. Highly recommend.
Jonathan Smith
Chief of Staff to Ry Walker at Tembo
If you're looking for a chief of staff (or just want to know more about the role), Clara is the expert. When I was asked to help another company in our lead investor's venture portfolio source a chief of staff, I exhausted my personal network pretty quickly. Luckily, almost everyone I reached out to for help recommended the same person: Clara. I reached out not knowing what to expect, and I'm so glad I did! Clara helped me refine the job post, source fantastic candidates, and even continued to support all the candidates throughout the interview process. Clara is the best!
Jenny Marano
Chief Operating Officer at WNDR Global
Through the incredible luck of the algorithm, my LinkedIn feed brought Clara's Chief of Staff content to me. At the time, I had not thought about the role as being something outside of government or tech, but Clara's engaging posts helped me realize and uncover my strengths as a generalist and truly changed the course of my career.
On top of creating an engaged community around the CoS role with useful, relatable content, Clara has built an incredible network. If you are a Chief of Staff, are thinking about becoming one, or thinking about hiring one, I recommend connecting with Clara and signing up for her Ask a Chief of Staff newsletter.
Patricia Mota
President & CEO of Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE)
Partnering with Ask A Chief of Staff and Executive Recruiter Katie Bell was an exceptional experience. The process was seamless and highly adaptable to our needs and timeline — from start to finish, it was completed in less than two months. With over 1,000 applicants for our Chief of Staff role, we needed a trusted partner to lead a comprehensive, equitable search that upheld the integrity of both HACE and our amazing candidates. Katie and her team delivered with excellence every step of the way.
Caroline Trautmann
Chief of Staff at Botrista
We are incredibly grateful for Clara's exceptional support in placing our Director of People position at Botrista. Clara took the time to truly understand our business needs and the exact type of candidate we were looking for. She was able to quickly surface amazing candidates that not only met our requirements but ended up being our very top choices.
We are so thankful for Clara's expertise and dedication throughout the process. We wouldn't have been able to fill this critical position so quickly and successfully without her. We really look forward to working with Clara again on future hiring needs.
Arjun Mahadevan
CEO of doola
Clara was a huge help for doola in finding our Chief of Staff. From advising on the job description to the take home exercise and chatting to final stage candidates to get them over the offer line, she was able to provide a level of insight into the Chief of Staff recruiting process that we wouldn't otherwise have. Would highly recommend working with her to fill any open Chief of Staff positions your org might have.
Christopher J Toleno
Strategy Associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Clara is extremely knowledgeable, compassionate, and personable. She supported me during my search and was one of the best recruiters I’ve ever worked with. She spent time to learn about my background, interests, and experiences to identify opportunities that aligned with my career progression. Clara utilized a very thoughtful approach…
I highly recommend COS seekers to utilize Clara’s services and expertise for placement/hiring needs.
Samantha Vrcic
Chief of Staff
Clara is a brilliant, kind, and compassionate person. Her ability to successfully match CoS with companies is impeccable. I highly recommend working with Clara if you are looking at the next steps. I believe Clara's talent is being able to guide/work with all levels of CoS. Whether you are currently in another position looking to make the switch, mid-level, or senior, she will be able to guide and support you in the right direction!
Lee Markison
Chief of Staff at Hyphen
Clara is an incredible community builder. When I approached her on LinkedIn to learn more about the On Deck Chief of Staff fellowship she was a wealth of knowledge on everything a Chief of Staff can accomplish. Her passion for all that a CoS can do made me want to learn more about the career path and she not only welcomed me to her network but also conducted outreach on my behalf. When she learned about my interest in sustainable healthy food and robotics she immediately connected me with Stephen Klein - CEO of Hyphen and former On Deck Fellow. Thanks to Clara I have a truly rewarding role as a Chief of Staff for a company I believe in. I am glad to now be a part of Clara’s community to help others in any way I can.
Matt Tait
CEO of Decimal
Clara was a huge help in finding a Chief of Staff. She was extremely knowledgeable and well connected. I couldn't have done it without her help.
Elizabeth Cribb
Operations Manager at Ecosystems
From the first consultation to the final placement, their team was professional, attentive, and deeply knowledgeable about the CoS position regardless of industry. They took the time to understand our company's unique culture and specific requirements, which led to finding the perfect candidates for our open position.
The recruitment process was seamless; they provided a curated list of candidates who not only had the right skills but also fit well with our team. Communication was excellent throughout, and they were always available to address any questions or concerns.
Thanks to Ask A Chief of Staff (specifically Clara and Kelly!), our hiring timeline was significantly reduced, and we’ve found a wonderful new team member.
Nicki Disz
Chief of Staff at Edgio
Clara has both skill and passion for connecting executives with Chief of Staff talent and I highly recommend her services to either side. She is a relationship builder, thought leader, and overall joy to work with - I'm excited to continue following her success!
Pamela Lee
Former Chief of Staff at Bank Street College of Education
Clara helped connect me with a wonderful candidate as I was supporting my previous organization in finding their next Chief of Staff. This has been an endeavor that's really special to me since I previously held that role and care deeply about setting up my previous team for success. The team is so excited about our new hire! thank you, Clara :)
Lissy Alden
Founder and CEO of MYNDY
Clara is an absolute pleasure to work with! She helped me through the process of hiring a Chief of Staff with expertise and wisdom. It is tremendous having someone like this on your side during such a crazy and important time. Her specialized and enthusiastic support for such a complex and important role is essential! Highly recommend working with Clara to those looking for a Chief of Staff!
Abhi Panigrahi
Chief of Staff at Tellius
Clara helped me find a Chief of Staff role at a super exciting company. She is extremely thoughtful, dedicated, and efficient - easily one of the best recruiters I've had the chance to interact with! She gave great advice throughout the process and in particular during the offer negotiation phase. Can't recommend her enough!
Greg Bybee
Founder and CEO of Avela
10/10 Would Recommend working with her if you are looking to recruit or train a new Chief of Staff, Executive Assistant, or other Business Operations professional. Clara was very helpful in our recent search for a Chief of Staff, and incredibly generous to open up her network to us. She has extraordinary subject-matter expertise and probably the strongest CoS network of anyone I know. She also runs a number of programs to train Chiefs of Staff, which would be a great offering when you do hire someone to help them get up to speed and remain current on best practices.
Samantha Perkins
Business Operations Lead at Warmly
Clara helped me find a wonderful BizOps role at a company I’m super excited about! She really listened to me when I described what I was looking for in my next role, both personally and professionally, and she introduced me to several companies and founders, checking in with me throughout my interview process. I am so grateful for her help in this recent job search! The job market felt scary for Ops/People Ops professionals, and her help was invaluable. Highly highly recommend!
Kevin Bassney
Vice President at The Asia Group
Clara was incredibly helpful throughout the job search process, sending me qualified opportunities. I can't recommend her enough for anyone interested in Chief of Staff opportunities.
Kelly Davis-Stoudt
CFO at Ecosystems
Ask a Chief of Staff is hands down your go-to resource for finding the perfect Chief of Staff fit. They sourced us high quality candidates (several) with speed and we found the perfect fit for our organization. Highly recommend.
Jonathan Smith
Chief of Staff to Ry Walker at Tembo
If you're looking for a chief of staff (or just want to know more about the role), Clara is the expert. When I was asked to help another company in our lead investor's venture portfolio source a chief of staff, I exhausted my personal network pretty quickly. Luckily, almost everyone I reached out to for help recommended the same person: Clara. I reached out not knowing what to expect, and I'm so glad I did! Clara helped me refine the job post, source fantastic candidates, and even continued to support all the candidates throughout the interview process. Clara is the best!
Jenny Marano
Chief Operating Officer at WNDR Global
Through the incredible luck of the algorithm, my LinkedIn feed brought Clara's Chief of Staff content to me. At the time, I had not thought about the role as being something outside of government or tech, but Clara's engaging posts helped me realize and uncover my strengths as a generalist and truly changed the course of my career.
On top of creating an engaged community around the CoS role with useful, relatable content, Clara has built an incredible network. If you are a Chief of Staff, are thinking about becoming one, or thinking about hiring one, I recommend connecting with Clara and signing up for her Ask a Chief of Staff newsletter.
Arjun Mahadevan
CEO of doola
Clara was a huge help for doola in finding our Chief of Staff. From advising on the job description to the take home exercise and chatting to final stage candidates to get them over the offer line, she was able to provide a level of insight into the Chief of Staff recruiting process that we wouldn't otherwise have. Would highly recommend working with her to fill any open Chief of Staff positions your org might have.
Lee Markison
Chief of Staff at Hyphen
Clara is an incredible community builder. When I approached her on LinkedIn to learn more about the On Deck Chief of Staff fellowship she was a wealth of knowledge on everything a Chief of Staff can accomplish. Her passion for all that a CoS can do made me want to learn more about the career path and she not only welcomed me to her network but also conducted outreach on my behalf. When she learned about my interest in sustainable healthy food and robotics she immediately connected me with Stephen Klein - CEO of Hyphen and former On Deck Fellow. Thanks to Clara I have a truly rewarding role as a Chief of Staff for a company I believe in. I am glad to now be a part of Clara’s community to help others in any way I can.
Christopher J Toleno
Strategy Associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Clara is extremely knowledgeable, compassionate, and personable. She supported me during my search and was one of the best recruiters I’ve ever worked with. She spent time to learn about my background, interests, and experiences to identify opportunities that aligned with my career progression. Clara utilized a very thoughtful approach…
I highly recommend COS seekers to utilize Clara’s services and expertise for placement/hiring needs.
Kevin Bassney
Vice President at The Asia Group
Clara was incredibly helpful throughout the job search process, sending me qualified opportunities. I can't recommend her enough for anyone interested in Chief of Staff opportunities.
Pamela Lee
Former Chief of Staff at Bank Street College of Education
Clara helped connect me with a wonderful candidate as I was supporting my previous organization in finding their next Chief of Staff. This has been an endeavor that's really special to me since I previously held that role and care deeply about setting up my previous team for success. The team is so excited about our new hire! thank you, Clara :)
Lissy Alden
Founder and CEO of MYNDY
Clara is an absolute pleasure to work with! She helped me through the process of hiring a Chief of Staff with expertise and wisdom. It is tremendous having someone like this on your side during such a crazy and important time. Her specialized and enthusiastic support for such a complex and important role is essential! Highly recommend working with Clara to those looking for a Chief of Staff!
Stay ahead of the curve
Join over 10k+ subscribers learning tips, tools, & tricks to elevate their impact as a Chief of Staff
Stay ahead of the curve
Join over 10k+ subscribers learning tips, tools, & tricks to elevate their impact as a Chief of Staff
Stay ahead of the curve
Join over 10k+ subscribers learning tips, tools, & tricks to elevate their impact as a Chief of Staff